PH and how it differs?

[El_diablo]

I hav jus tested the water in my freshwater tank and in my yellow belly turtle tank and in my freshwater tank the ph is 7 where as my yellow belly turtle tank waters ph is 5.5. But the water is from the same tap I hav the same substrate in both tanks with a few fake ornaments/plants in both tanks so how come my ph levels are so different??? Jus curious if any body can help? Cheers

 

[fort384]

What are you using to test it (what kind of test kit/method)? 5.5 seems awfully low...

Also, what are the other water parameters in the tanks? That can affect pH.

Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate

 

[El_diablo]

I hav a Hagen nutrafin liquid test kit and the nitrate is 20 ammonia 0 nitrite 0

 

[fort384]

In both tanks, it is the same?

Try re-testing the pH

also, in turtle tank, do you have a land portion? Different rocks?

 

[El_diablo]

My freshwater tanks ph is 7 and the nitrate is between 5 and 10 and the ammonia n nitrite are both 0. In the turtle tank I hav a plastic basking/land area with the same substrate as my freshwater tank, it's not causing a problem my turtles hav lived seemingly quite happy for around a year in there now (I rescued them from a friend of my sisters who didnt really take proper care for them around 2 months ago and I'm currently in the process of building them a new tank) I'm jus curious to why the ph is so different in both tanks as it seems a little strange

 

[fort384]

It is strange. There is something causing a difference that drastic between the 2 tanks. Are you using any type of chemical filtration in your filters?

 

[fort384]

I should add, too, that even though they are different, so long as they are both stable, it won't hurt anything. It is just odd that they differ so much.

 

[El_diablo]

No I use the same tap water dechlorinator for both and that is the only additive I put in the water, yeh it's not really a concern as the ph is stable in both tanks I was jus a little puzzled to why, thanks for the input tho